Canon City News

Cañon City Volunteers for Income Tax Assistance needs volunteers

The Cañon City Volunteers for Income Tax Assistance needs volunteers to provide free tax returns for people earning up to $60,000.

The volunteers will learn how to prepare tax returns, using IRS training materials, certification tests, computers, tax software and ongoing support during the tax season, a press release said. In conjunction, VITA Site Coordinator Marvin Spencer and other experienced volunteers will assist trainees in becoming proficient and accurate on competed forms.

Under the VITA program guidelines, those who are eligible include many people earning various types of incomes and credits. However, those with complex investments, rentals and other business incomes are not included.

Volunteers need basic computer skills, be able to read and understand instructions to complete the forms. Taxpayers who do their own are qualified. In addition, the volunteers will use a software program to prepare the forms.

VITA will provide the service twice a week until April 15 at a room in Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church at 801 Sheridan Ave. Those who would like to help but do not want to prepare the forms are needed to greet clients and to interview them.

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"Being a VITA volunteer is an opportunity to provide an important financial benefit to low and moderate income taxpayers," Spencer said in a press release. "It saves the cost of professional preparation, assures accurate returns with all credits and refunds due, and saves penalties and lost refunds for those who would otherwise file late or not at all. For volunteers, it offers the satisfaction of giving to the community and meeting the challenge of learning and applying tax rules that many taxpayers find mystifying."

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